LOCAL NEWSPAPER CENSOR ITS READERS

This was the editor's note in the Evening Times newspaper, dated Friday, June 19, 2009: The controversy swirling around the Principal's job at West Memphis High School is getting too intense for anonymous calls to Speak Out, therefore, further comments must be a written Letter to the Editor, signed by the writer and include a daytime and nighttime telephone number and mailing address. Mail to P.O. Box 459, West Memphis, AR 72303. Any letters without a name, telephone number and mailing address will be disregarded. Further calls to Speak Out on the subject will not be printed. They can allow people to call in and Speak Out about our city council members for weeks on end take up most of a page trying to embarrass them by they will not print the truth. Maybe we need to look into a boycott of the local newspaper. I just wonder how much do it cost West Memphis School district to censor the people? We must come together the cause is to important to just say, "wait."

What Are YOU Waiting For?

We know that the community is upset about the acts of the superintendent and the school board. People have stopped us in the local stores, called our phones, and expressed their feelings. One must ponder how could a school board allow a superintendent not to hire the most qualified person for the job. The other applicant has a masters degree and Dr. Quarrels has a Doctorate in Education.

Dr. Palmer Quarrels has worked in the district for twenty-two years and has always been fair and consistent in dealing with issues relating to the district, the school, the students and the overall professional development of the community at large. Her main focus is to make sure that each child is provided an opportunity to grow as well as to develop in a safe and wholesome learning environment.

Dr. Quarrels has worked closely with and for the outgoing principal for the past six years, assisting with matters relating to discipline, counseling with both parents and students, and troubleshooting and interacting with other school officials and community leaders. During the outgoing principal's leave of absence for health reasons, Dr. Quarrels was a major influential force in maintaining the day to day operation of the school.

The superintendent assembled an interview committee that consisted of central office administrators and two high school employees who currently work under Dr. Quarrels' supervision. This was the first time that an interview committee of that structure had been assembled for the West Memphis School District.

West Memphis Senior High School and the students deserve a high school principal that has an open door policy, a principal who is independent, a principal who is compassionate to all students, and a principal who is knowledgeable about current practices in education. We demand a leader, that understands that winning state championships are GREAT, but a quality education is better.

Parents, now is the time to prove that we do care about our children and their education. Students, now is the time to prove that you do matter and to let your voice be heard. We must let the community and the world know that we do care about our education.

Just as Dr. Martin Luther King stated in his letter while jailed in Birmingham. "For years now I have heard the word "wait!" It rings in the ears with piercing familiarity. This "Wait" has almost always meant "Never." This school board and this superintendent time has come and gone and our children cannot wait any longer.

You ask, how can you make an impact? Attend the community meetings, get involved with the acts of protest big or small, donate funds to the legal defense, get your children involved and educate them about this movement, tell as many people as you can about this injustice and encourage them to log on and blog. Get involved!